USA Crew Visa

To all members of the crew of international airlines as well as personnel aboard cruise ships or cruise liners, When you visit America, the United States for a limited period as a member of the crew, i.e. in connection with your duties on the ship, you will require a known as a "C-1/D" visa.

What is the C-1D Visa?

The C-1/D Visa permits personnel or crew members on international airline or (cruise) vessels to travel into the U.S. for a temporary stay in connection with their duties on board. It is the C-1/D Visa that's commonly issued Visa to: 

• flight attendants
• Captains
• cosmetician
• musicians
• pilots
• Ship and service personnel
• technician
• entertainers and                                                 

Any other employee on board any other  worker on a plane or ship

What are the prerequisites to obtain a C-1/D Visa?

The following requirements must be met to apply for the C-1/D Visa

Stay for a short time within the U.S. as a crew member aboard

 To approve this visa category, it's required to show that the activity taking place on the vessel is part of the normal operations. The crewmembers located in American waters under C-1/D visas must depart their ship and leave the U.S. on their ship within a period of a maximum of 29 days. According to the U.S. authorities, departure is when a vessel departs from a U.S. port to a port located outside of that of the United States (the U.S. does not just include the mainland, but Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the American Virgin Islands).

Evidence of the activity of crew members

 To obtain a visa C-1/D, it is recommended that the applicant be listed on the list of crew members of the ship or airline. A note from an employer that confirms the relationship between an airline company or (cruise) ship must be provided. The applicant is not eligible to receive compensation through any of the U.S. side or a U.S. company.

 Tip: At the moment of the application, the applicant doesn't require employment. However, an employment contract must be in place that confirms their future employment at the board.

Evidence of intent to return (means strong ties to the country of origin or the country of the origin)

 In simple terms, this is the case that the C-1/D candidate has a permanent residence outside the United States and intends to visit America. The U.S. only for a short-term stay.

It is not essential to know the vessel's nationality that the crew members are employed is not crucial for the issue of visas.

C-1/D Application Procedure

The applicants must appear in person at any responsible U.S. consulates for an interview. In Germany, you can apply for a C-1 visa through the U.S. consulate in Berlin, Frankfurt / Main, or Munich.

In addition to the standard application forms, you must provide documentation regarding the employment relationship, the purpose of entry, and other proof of your intent to return. The U.S. consulate typically makes the application in the country where the applicant is located.

How Long Does the Application Take?

The time to process depends heavily on the time before the date for the interview. The availability of appointments for visas is contingent, among other things, on the consulate in question or the time of year. So, it is recommended to give yourself between one and two weeks for a C-1 application. After a week following an interview that was successful at the U.S. consulate, the passport, including the visa C-1/D, will be delivered to the employee in the mail.

What Does A C-1/D Visa Cost?

Anyone applying for a C-1D visa has to pay application costs in advance to the U.S. consulate. The payment can be made via cash transfer, bank transfer, or debit card.

How Many Years is The C-1/D Visa Valid for?

VALIDITY OF THE C-1/D VISA

The validity of a visa C-1/D is contingent on the person's nationality. This so-called reciprocity calendar is determined based on nationality, determining the validity period for which the Visa will be issued.

For instance, the C-1/D Visa is usually issued for ten years for German citizens. This implies that a new visa will only need to be requested after it expires in ten years.